1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to article carriers attached to vehicles and, more particularly, to auxiliary article carriers attached to trailer hitches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of auxiliary article carriers attached to trailer hitches is well known in the art as exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. which are representative of some of those auxiliary carriers: 4,744,590 and 5,368,209. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,590 discloses an auxiliary carrier that attaches to a trailer hitch when carried by a vehicle and that is removable from the vehicle to be moved on wheel assemblies carried by the auxiliary carrier. The wheel assemblies are connected to and supported by the auxiliary carrier even when the auxiliary carrier is attached to the trailer hitch. Moreover, when the auxiliary carrier is removed from the trailer hitch and when the wheel assemblies are in use, there is no provision for maintaining the auxiliary carrier and an article supported thereon in a horizontal orientation when a person lets go of the auxiliary carrier. To avoid the complexities of having wheel assemblies attached to a vehicle-attached auxiliary carrier even when the auxiliary carrier is carrier by a trailer hitch, it would be desirable if a vehicle-attached article carrier were provided that does not include wheel assemblies that are carried by the auxiliary carrier when the auxiliary carrier is supported by the trailer hitch. Also, to permit an auxiliary carrier and an article contained thereon to be oriented horizontally when the auxiliary carrier is removed from the trailer hitch and when the auxiliary carrier is supported by wheel assemblies, it would be desirable if an auxiliary carrier included a support leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,209 discloses another vehicle-attached article carrier that includes wheel assemblies that are carried by the carrier, even when the carrier is attached to a trailer hitch. Moreover, this carrier also does not include means for retaining the carrier in a horizontal orientation when the carrier is not attached to the trailer hitch.
As a matter of interest, U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,192 discloses a manually operated wheeled article carrier. No provision is made for attaching this article carrier to a trailer hitch of a vehicle.
Still other features would be desirable in a wheeled or vehicle-mounted cart apparatus. For example, for purposes of simplicity of design, it would be desirable if a vehicle-attached article carrier included one set of attachment brackets either for attaching the carrier to a vehicle or, alternatively, for attaching wheel assemblies to the carrier. In addition, it would be desirable if a vehicle-attached article carrier had a single set of brackets for attaching both a handle and a support leg to the carrier.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use vehicle-attached article carriers, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a vehicle-attached article carrier apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) does not include wheel assemblies that are carried by the apparatus when the apparatus is supported by the trailer hitch; (2) has a support leg for orienting the apparatus horizontally when the apparatus is removed from the trailer hitch and is supported by wheel assemblies; (3) includes one set of attachment brackets either for attaching the apparatus to a vehicle or, alternatively, for attaching wheel assemblies to the apparatus; and (4) has a single set of brackets for attaching both a handle and a support leg to the apparatus. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique wheeled or vehicle-mounted cart apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.